Edward Robert King-Harman
Encyclopedia
Edward Robert King-Harman (3 April 1838 – 10 June 1888) was an Irish landlord and Irish Nationalist and later Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1877 to 1888.
and inherited from him the estates of Rockingham, County Roscommon
and Newcastle, County Waterford
. King-Harman was educated at Eton
and became a lieutenant in the 60th Rifles and captain in the Longford Militia. He inherited Rockingham which was a fine house built by John Nash
, but altered in a less than sympathetic way in the late 19th century in order to provide more accommodation. He was J.P.
for the counties of Sligo, Longford and Westmeath and Honorary Colonel with the 5th Battalion, Connaught Rangers. He published in the Freeman's Journal and was a member of the Arts Club from 1863 until his death.
's Nationalist Home Rule candidate in the May 1870 rerun of the December 1869 Longford
by-election after the result of the first vote was overturned. In January 1877, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Sligo County
but lost the seat at the 1880 general election. He then became Lord Lieutenant
and Custos Rotulorum
of Roscommon in 1878. In 1883 he was elected MP for Dublin County
, until the seat was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
. He was initially a Nationalist Home Ruler but subsequently became a Unionist. As result of Gladstone's Representation of the People Act 1884
which would extend the Irish franchise, some Orangemen were threatening violence and T. P. O'Connor
complained in parliament of several politicians using inflammatory language. O'Connor quoted as an example King-Harman's advice to "Keep the cartridge in the rifle."
In 1885 King-Harman was elected as a Unionist (Conservative) MP for the English seat of Isle of Thanet
. In 1887 he was a parliamentary Under-Secretary for Ireland. He held the seat until his death from heart disease at Rockingham in Boyle, Ireland at the age of 49 in 1888.
. What was left of the great house was demolished in 1971. Recently, however, the original seat of the Kings, King House in Boyle, has been restored to its former glory. It had ceased to be a private residence in the late 18th century and functioned as a barracks for the Connaught Rangers Regiment from 1788 until 1922 when it became a barracks for the Irish Army
. Joan, Lady Dunn (only daughter of Sir Cecil) and her family maintain a close interest in the project.
Early life
King-Harman was the son of Lawrence Harman King-Harman and his wife Cecilia Johnstone of Stirling. His father was the younger son of Robert King, 1st Viscount LortonRobert King, 1st Viscount Lorton
General Robert Edward King, 1st Viscount Lorton , styled The Honourable from 1797 to 1800, was an Irish peer and politician....
and inherited from him the estates of Rockingham, County Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
and Newcastle, County Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
. King-Harman was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and became a lieutenant in the 60th Rifles and captain in the Longford Militia. He inherited Rockingham which was a fine house built by John Nash
John Nash (architect)
John Nash was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London.-Biography:Born in Lambeth, London, the son of a Welsh millwright, Nash trained with the architect Sir Robert Taylor. He established his own practice in 1777, but his career was initially unsuccessful and...
, but altered in a less than sympathetic way in the late 19th century in order to provide more accommodation. He was J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the counties of Sligo, Longford and Westmeath and Honorary Colonel with the 5th Battalion, Connaught Rangers. He published in the Freeman's Journal and was a member of the Arts Club from 1863 until his death.
Political career
King-Harman stood unsuccessfully as Isaac ButtIsaac Butt
Isaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
's Nationalist Home Rule candidate in the May 1870 rerun of the December 1869 Longford
Longford (UK Parliament constituency)
Longford was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885, and one MP from 1918–1922.- MPs 1801–1885 :- MPs 1918–1922 :...
by-election after the result of the first vote was overturned. In January 1877, he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Sligo County
Sligo County (UK Parliament constituency)
Sligo County is a former county constituency in Ireland, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system of election.-Boundaries:...
but lost the seat at the 1880 general election. He then became Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant of Roscommon
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of County Roscommon.The office was created on 23 August 1831.* Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton 7 October 1831 – 20 November 1854* Arthur French, 1st Baron de Freyne 18 December 1854 – 29 September 1856...
and Custos Rotulorum
Custos rotulorum
Custos rotulorum is the keeper of an English county's records and, by virtue of that office, the highest civil officer in the county...
of Roscommon in 1878. In 1883 he was elected MP for Dublin County
Dublin County (UK Parliament constituency)
Dublin County was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, until the seat was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
. He was initially a Nationalist Home Ruler but subsequently became a Unionist. As result of Gladstone's Representation of the People Act 1884
Representation of the People Act 1884
In the United Kingdom, the Representation of the People Act 1884 and the Redistribution Act of the following year were laws which further extended the suffrage in Britain after the Disraeli Government's Reform Act 1867...
which would extend the Irish franchise, some Orangemen were threatening violence and T. P. O'Connor
T. P. O'Connor
Thomas Power O'Connor , known as T. P. O'Connor and occasionally as Tay Pay, was a journalist, an Irish nationalist political figure, and a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for nearly fifty years.-Biography:O'Connor was born in...
complained in parliament of several politicians using inflammatory language. O'Connor quoted as an example King-Harman's advice to "Keep the cartridge in the rifle."
In 1885 King-Harman was elected as a Unionist (Conservative) MP for the English seat of Isle of Thanet
Isle of Thanet (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Thanet was a county constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885, until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election....
. In 1887 he was a parliamentary Under-Secretary for Ireland. He held the seat until his death from heart disease at Rockingham in Boyle, Ireland at the age of 49 in 1888.
Family
King-Harman married, in 1864, Anne Worsley, daughter of Sir William Worsley, 1st Baronet. They had one daughter, Frances Agnes, who married Sir Thomas Stafford, 1st Baronet, a physician and member of the Irish Privy Council. They had two sons, the younger of whom, Sir Cecil Stafford King-Harman, inherited the baronetcy and the Rockingham estates.Rockingham House
Sir Cecil died in 1987, having lived in the House until 1957, when the building was destroyed by fire. The estate was nationalised by the Irish government to become Lough Key Forest ParkLough Key Forest Park
Lough Key Forest Park is an 800 hectare park on the southern shore of Lough Key, 40 km south east of Sligo town and 3 km east of Boyle in the Republic of Ireland. Formerly part of the Rockingham estate, it is open to the public....
. What was left of the great house was demolished in 1971. Recently, however, the original seat of the Kings, King House in Boyle, has been restored to its former glory. It had ceased to be a private residence in the late 18th century and functioned as a barracks for the Connaught Rangers Regiment from 1788 until 1922 when it became a barracks for the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. Joan, Lady Dunn (only daughter of Sir Cecil) and her family maintain a close interest in the project.